Novak Djokovic merits more acclaim after great year in tennis history | Sean Ingle | Sport | The Guardian Novak Djokovic merits more acclaim after great year in tennis history Sean Ingle The Serb won three of the four grand slam titles in 2015 but had his service faults applauded in the US Open final against Roger Federer Novak Djokovic took home the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open trophies in a historic year. Illustration: Nathan Daniels Contact author Sunday 20 December 2015 17.29 EST Last modified on Monday 4 April 2016 07.32 EDT Share on Messenger Close A few days ago Roger Federer was asked what invincibility tasted like during that glorious stretch between 2004 and 2007 when the sweet spot on his racket was as fat as a watermelon and his tennis was so exalted the writer David Foster Wallace compared watching him to a religious experience . “It’s a funny place,” he replied, fumbling for an appropriate analogy, “Whoosh, like on a bullet train!” Or being caught on a wave “you don’t want to get flushed out” from.

But he had regrets too: “There is so much winning and playing going on that sometimes … you don’t take enough time to actually celebrate those moments.” Novak Djokovic sweeps past Roger Federer to underline No1 status Read more Aren’t we, as a wider sporting audience, falling into the same trap with Novak Djokovic ? During 2011, when he won three grand slam titles and finished with a 70-6 win/loss record, including 10 victories in 11 against a close-to-peak Rafael Nadal and Federer, the Serb was “having the greatest year in the history of our sport”, according to John McEnroe. Yet statistically Djokovic was even better in 2015.

Not only did he win 82 of 88 matches – a 93% win percentage, the sixth best in the open era behind McEnroe in 1984, Jimmy Connors in 1974, Federer in 2005 and 2006, and Bjorn Borg in 1979 – he also became only the third man, after Rod Laver and Federer, to reach all four grand slam finals in a calendar year. For good measure he ended 2015 with six Masters titles, a record. That success was earned the hard way. This year Djokovic beat top-10 players 31 times – another record, eclipsing the next best of 24 (by Djokovic in 2012 and 2013, and Nadal in 2013). If it was not for Stan Wawrinka’s forehand getting molten-hot in the French Open final we could be talking of Djokovic as only the second calendar slam winner in the open era. After Wawrinka had cracked 60 winners in that final he confessed to playing “the match of my life”.

That is what it took to beat the world No1. Yet while Djokovic has produced one of the greatest years in tennis history, deep public affection for him remains elusive. The crowds mostly rooted for his opponents. In the US Open final against Federer they even applauded his service faults. And then another minor snub: missing out on the BBC’s overseas sports personality of the year award to Dan Carter. Djokovic says not being a fan favourite “has only steeled my resolve”. And how. To these eyes he was not quite as brilliant a shot maker in 2015 as he was four years ago but his body and mind are even more resilient. A couple of years ago he tweeted a photograph of himself standing by a dilapidated wall in Serbia that he used to whack tennis balls against as a four-year-old. This year he was like that wall. Whatever opponents threw at him came back with interest. Such is Djokovic’s consistency he tops four of the 10 ATP ranking categories – second serve points won, first and second serve return points won, and return games won – and appears in the top 10 in four more.

Only in aces (18th) and first serve points won (24th) was he anything less than exceptional – and while he won fewer cheaper points than his rivals on serve, his strength from the back of the court more than made up for it. And according to Dan Weston, a tennis analyst and professional gambler , Djokovic’s underlying figures this year even sneak ahead of Federer’s finest season in 2006 and Pete Sampras’s best year in 1997. In 2015 Djokovic held his serve 89.8% and broke his opponent 33.7% of the time – a combined success total of 123.5%. In 2006 Federer held serve 90% and broke his opponent’s 32% of the time, a combined total of 122%, while Sampras in 1997 was lower still (90% serve hold, 28% breaks of serve). What these numbers cannot show, of course, is Djokovic’s incredible litheness and flexibility.

He reminds one of those plastic bendy men which, no matter how much a child twists and scrunches it, always pops back into position, ready to go. True, there has been the odd misstep – including the “fake” cramp against Andy Murray in the Australian Open final and raging at a ball girl for being too slow at Wimbledon. But his reaction to defeat against Wawrinka at Roland Garros spoke volumes: “In life some things are more important than victories: character and respect,” he told the crowd. “I have a great respect for you, Stan – I lost to a better player.” Unlike many of his great rivals, Djokovic has no obvious weakness on grass, clay or hard court. And as Weston points out, he is exceptional with the roof up too: his defeat to Federer in the group stages at the Tour finals last month was his first indoors since 2012 – a 38-match run. As he approaches his 29th birthday, Djokovic clearly believes he can ride that wave of invincibility which Federer talked about, promising that he feels “physically stronger and mentally more experienced” as he bids to add to his 10 grand slam titles.

But even if he is not able to get closer to the 14 held by Sampras and Nadal, and the 17 by Federer, he surely should be more appreciated for being one of the finest champions of this age – in fact, any age. Champions Tour - ATP Champions Tour - Bjorn Borg Player Biography Bjorn Borg Borg joined the professional circuit aged 14 and in 1972, at the age of 15, he set his first record, becoming the youngest player ever to win a Davis Cup singles rubber. He won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open, defeating Manuel Orantes in a five-set final. Barely 18 at the time, Borg was the youngest-ever male French Open champion. The Swede went on to win a further five Roland Garros titles, including four consecutively between 1978 and 1981. His six French Open singles titles remains a record to this day. Borg won Wimbledon in 1976 without losing a set to became the youngest male Wimbledon champion of the modern era at 20 years and 1 month.

He won his fifth consecutive singles title at SW19 in 1980 by defeating John McEnroe in a five sets. The match, which included the famous fourth-set tie break won by McEnroe 18 points to 16, is often cited as the best Wimbledon final ever played. The U.S. Open was always Borg’s particular jinx. He failed to win in 10 tries, losing four finals. He shocked the tennis world in January 1983 when he announced his retirement at the age of just 26. He attempted a brief comeback in the early 1990’s, before joining his contemporaries on the ATP Champions Tour. Why 2013 US Open Will Deliver a Dramatic Finish to This Year's Grand Slams | Bleacher Report Why 2013 US Open Will Deliver a Dramatic Finish to This Year's Grand Slams By Jeremy Eckstein , Featured Columnist Jul 15, 2013 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Matthew Stockman/Getty Images 84 Comments The 2013 U.S.

Open is the final stop on tennis' Grand Slam tour and a raucous venue for high drama. New York in deep summer is heat, noise and taxi cabs. It is streets, skyscrapers and boundless energy where only the strong survive. Rapper and Brooklyn icon Jay-Z lyricized that New York is a "concrete jungle where dreams are made of." It's a hard city that tests the will of each ATP tennis pro. Some wither away at the slightest pressure, but a few find the courage to thrive. Tennis legend Jimmy Connors famously quipped , "When you play in New York (at the U.S. Open), they come to see two guys kill each other. They know I'll go out and spill my guts to win." Here is why the 2013 U.S. Open promises so much great tennis and drama. Centerpiece for More Top Tournaments Matthew Stockman/Getty Images The North American hard court tour features Masters 1000 tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati. They are the opening acts to the U.S. Open and a tennis fan's window into who is hot and who is not. The players acclimate themselves to the faster hard courts and summer grind to prepare for peak performances.

Last year, Novak Djokovic took Toronto, and Roger Federer captured Cincinnati. Meanwhile, Andy Murray struggled with injuries, but he still rebounded to take a bite out of the Big Apple. And Murray's performance is what people will remember most. The U.S. Open also determines which players will be most motivated for the final Masters 1000 tournaments in Shanghai and Paris. Finally, the top eight players will meet in the WTF in London when the final rankings of the year will be determined. There is still much tennis to play this year. Five Different Champions in Five Years Julian Finney/Getty Images Roger Federer dominated the U.S. Open with five consecutive titles from 2004-2008. He was also the last champion to defend his title. Since then, the titlists have included Juan Martin del Potro (2009), Rafael Nadal (2010), Novak Djokovic (2011) and Andy Murray (2012). Murray will attempt the difficult task of defending his title in perhaps the toughest tournament in tennis. New York's fervent crowds and electric lights unnerved the great Bjorn Borg. He never won a title here.

Many great players contend, but one bad match and it's curtains. It will require hot tennis, Lady Luck and the spirit of Jimmy Connors. There are no inconspicuous subway rides to a title. The Neutral Zone Al Bello/Getty Images The Australian Open is a fair tennis surface for most of the ATP—as long as they can hit groundstrokes in hot weather while playing themselves into shape. Wacky results often thin the field of its best contenders. The French Open has proven to be the most difficult tournament to win because of Rafael Nadal's dominance. Not everybody can play on red clay, and many strong tennis players die through attrition. Wimbledon eliminates many clay-court players from contention. It favors big servers and tennis athletes with quick reflexes. The pool of realistic titlists is shallow. But the U.S. Open is the toughest Slam to win. Never mind that the players take a pounding on the fast hard courts. It's a venue that doesn't allow anyone to maximize all his strengths and does not discriminate against clay-court or grass players. Everyone is dangerous in the deepest tournament in tennis. It's the ultimate, versatile setting that requires all-court skills and adaptability.

And it's an outright requirement for players to keep their composure while serving. New Yorkers love to yell out and test the players' nerves as many points begin. Who has ice water in his veins? Which Second-Tier Player Will Step Up? Cameron Spencer/Getty Images We probably just jinxed Tomas Berdych. Last year, he upset Roger Federer in the quarterfinals. He took the first set in the semifinals against Andy Murray. Then, heavy winds teased his high toss and flustered his groundstrokes. He had already tossed his mental game into his tennis bag long before getting swept in the final three sets. That was last year, which probably means Berdych will be a non-factor this year. He, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Juan Martin del Potro spin around on an accursed merry-go-round, only one at a time able to make a deep run into a Grand Slam tournament. There are other paper contenders such as David Ferrer, Richard Gasquet and Tommy Haas. Odds are most of them will win a few rounds and go out quietly like a tired Broadway production. But one surprise will find the quarterfinals and, perhaps, contend further. Who will it be?

Battle for the No. 1 Ranking Michael Regan/Getty Images The New York state of mind says that you are either the best or you are a loser. It's a hard standard for tennis as well, and the battle for No. 1 will run through the Big Apple. Novak Djokovic seeks a third straight year finishing with the No. 1 ranking. His results dating back to 2012 give him a wide lead of almost 3,000 points over Andy Murray. If he wins the U.S. Open, he all but clinches the top ranking with merely respectable showings to close out 2013. Andy Murray, at No. 2, is the only player to win two of the last four Grand Slam titles, but it will be difficult for him to catch Djokovic. He will lose gold medal Olympics points and will drop at least 800 points if he does not defend his U.S. Open title. He will need to capitalize on winning Montreal and Cincinnati if he hopes to bid for No. 1. He would then have to win a couple more big tournaments to close the year.

Rafael Nadal has captured the most points in 2013, on the strength of seven titles and the French Open crown. This is amazing considering his absence at Australia and his first round flop at Wimbledon. He has the best opportunity to capture more points, but this means outplaying Djokovic and Murray on hard courts. He must be healthy and hot. A U.S. Open title would make him the likely winner. Roger Federer and David Ferrer are not factors for the U.S. Open but can create more parity by shaking up the top of the tree. Jerzy Janowicz's Proving Ground Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Last year, Jerzy Janowicz, ranked No. 86, lost in the first round to wild card Dennis Novikov. Expect a better result this time around for the No. 17 ranked player. Janowicz proved he could be a Grand Slam finalist at Wimbledon, but the odds say this will be very difficult to match. Young players in recent years have had roller coaster rides and, typically, more hard times than success. Could Janowicz win the U.S. Open?

We will know more with Montreal and Cincinnati, but the Pole has the power and skills to succeed wildly on hard courts. Come September, his run for a title may be more important to prove that he has the mental fortitude and consistency to be a top ten player. Just maybe he can pull a Pete Sampras and go 1990 on all of us. If it does happen, he might open a Polish shoe store in New York as a symbolic token of those who bought him shoes to compete here two years ago. Rafael Nadal Looks for Grand Slam Title Away from Roland Garros Chris Trotman/Getty Images Three years have passed since Rafael Nadal's last Grand Slam title outside Roland Garros. He was derailed by Novak Djokovic in 2011 and recovering from injuries for much of 2012. Nadal is an enigma with a lot to prove. It is difficult to forecast the extent of his health and motivation to play on hard courts. He might not show up, or he might win the title. Whatever happens, it will be one of the top stories, guaranteed.

The odds are against Nadal, and a quick exit here would likely banish his chances further from winning another Grand Slam off clay. There is also the chance that he plays like he did at Indian Wells, riding aggressive groundstrokes and big points to an epic title run. High drama swirls around the Spaniard. Roger Federer Looking for Throwback Magic Al Bello/Getty Images Recently, every Roger Federer article is somehow required to mention his age. (Oops, sorry about that.) Last year, the Swiss Maestro looked great after destroying Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati. He was seeded No. 1 and swept his way to the quarterfinals with the added rest of a walkover in the fourth round. Then, Tomas Berdych played big, held on, and suddenly, Federer was out. Federer has more great tennis left, and New York would be a great place to wield some of his former dominance. He likes the fast courts and is oblivious to the screaming fans and rock concert environment. Every match is like this for Federer. He may be the most dangerous player in the U.S. Open. If he can play his "A" game, perhaps, nobody will beat him.

New Yorkers should flock to Arthur Ashe Stadium to get another look at the legend. It's been a long time since he obliterated Lleyton Hewitt in the 2004 U.S. Open final. 2. Novak Djokovic's Quest to Dominate Again Mike Stobe/Getty Images It's been two years since Djokovic won a Grand Slam title outside Australia. It's time for the Serbian to reassert his dominance on tennis and close out the year with two Slam titles. It's in his control. A U.S. Open win would all but seal the No. 1 ranking and undisputed claim to being Player of the Year. It would also allow him some peace of mind from the vultures who hover above his every loss. There's a strong chance he would have to win the U.S. Open by going through rival Andy Murray. Vengeance and motivation will not be lacking. He has lost two of three Slam finals to the Scotsman. There is no surer bet than Djokovic making a run to at least the semifinals. He is consistently great and often a victim of this success from those who expect it should just happen. Just don't take the Serbian for granted.

You never know when he will provide the entertainment besides his tennis. Here's hoping for more impersonations of his fellow tennis professionals. 1. Andy Murray's Mission to Defend His Title Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Out of the swirling winds of the 2012 U.S. Open, Andy Murray came forth to become a Grand Slam champion. He had finally realized his talent and potential. He was changed forever. Now is the time to defend his title. A lot of media has already tagged him as the favorite, but he must prove he can win when he is the hunted. He must be smarter, more agile and able to anticipate the twists and turns to adversity. It's survival on the streets of New York. Murray must be tougher than ever, gritty, willing to battle through heat, abrasive crowds and feature matches that could turn into Midnight Madness. Recovery must be swift and resolve ironclad. Can the good times keep rolling along for Great Britain? For 76 years, they were shut out from seeing a native son capture a Grand Slam title. Now, an empire is reforming with the possibility of three Slams in five attempts. A nation could get spoiled like this. For now, Murray is the man of the moment.

Djokovic aims for fourth straight major, first French; Serena eyes Slam No. 22 | TENNIS.com Djokovic aims for fourth straight major, first French; Serena eyes Slam No. 22 by: AP May 18, 2016 Tags: 2016 French Open , Novak Djokovic , Rafael Nadal , Serena Williams The world No. 1s have plenty to play for in Paris. (AP) Once again, Novak Djokovic heads to the French Open knowing full well that a title at Roland Garros will complete a career Grand Slam, something only seven other men have done. He's already come quite close to adding the Coupe des Mousquetaires to his trophy collection, finishing as the runner-up in three of the past four years. ''I know he's looking for that title,'' Stan Wawrinka said after beating Djokovic in the 2015 final.

''I hope he will get one, one day, because he deserves one.'' This time, even more is at stake for Djokovic: Owner of a 21-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments, the guy nicknamed ''Nole'' - it's pronounced NO-leh - arrives in Paris with a chance to become the first man in nearly half a century to claim four consecutive major championships. Roger Federer never did it. Neither did Rafael Nadal , Pete Sampras or Bjorn Borg. The last man to hold the four most prestigious tennis titles simultaneously was Rod Laver, all the way back in 1969, when he pulled off a true Grand Slam, winning all in the same year. By winning Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last season and the Australian Open this January, Djokovic is on the verge of what could be called a ''Nole Slam,'' a four-in-a-row feat a la the self-styled ''Serena Slam'' that Serena Williams has managed to do twice. Lately, the No.

1-ranked Djokovic has been nearly unbeatable on any surface and in any setting, not just at the Grand Slam events, going 119-9 overall since the start of 2015, a .930 winning percentage, while earning 16 titles. In 2016, he is 37-3 with a tour-high five titles. ''My confidence level is high because of the matches - many matches - that I have won this year,'' Djokovic said, ''on (red clay) and all the other surfaces.'' Still, adding a bit of intrigue, he is coming off a rare loss - and on red clay, no less - when the French Open begins Sunday. That's because Djokovic was beaten by Andy Murray in the Italian Open final, the last tuneup for both before the year's second Grand Slam tournament. Not that Djokovic sounded too worried by that result. He knew that he was sapped by a couple of lengthy, difficult victories against Nadal and Kei Nishikori. ''I don't feel that I'm doubtful or I'm shaken up by this loss. Of course, you don't like to lose,'' Djokovic said.

''I move on to Paris knowing that I'm going to approach it, hopefully, healthy and refreshed.'' A year ago, he beat Nadal in the French Open quarterfinals, only the second loss in 72 career matches at the tournament for the nine-time champion. That was part of a rough stretch for Nadal, who appears to be inching closer to finding his old ''King of Clay'' form. It would surprise no one if he were around in the latter stages at Roland Garros. The same can be said of Murray, suddenly the owner of three titles on the slowest surface after winning his two majors on hard and grass courts. ''I never expected to be having the results I have been having on clay,'' the second-ranked Murray said after defeating Djokovic in Rome. Williams joined Murray as a champion in Italy, picking up her first title anywhere in nine months. And she joins Djokovic in hoping to make some history in France. The 34-year-old American is seeking her 22nd singles title at a Grand Slam tournament to equal Steffi Graf's record for the Open era, which began in 1968. The all-time mark of 24 belongs to Margaret Smith Court.

The French Open is the only major Williams never has won back-to-back: Her titles came in 2002, 2013 and 2015 (the champion in 2012 and 2014, Maria Sharapova, is not eligible to enter this year because her doping case is pending). ''I have tried to defend there once, twice. ... Didn't quite work so well,'' the No. 1-ranked Williams said. ''But this year is different. I'm going to definitely go in there and feel more calm. And I don't feel stress to, like, have to win.'' --- 35 facts that prove Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player ever | For The Win 35 facts that prove Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player ever 35 facts that prove Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player ever By Chris Chase June 25, 2015 3:06 pm Follow @firechrischase 44k shares Follow @firechrischase 1. Federer is only the first man in the last 45 years to appear in four Grand Slam finals in the same year.

And he’s done it a staggering three times, winning three of the four titles in 2006 and 2007 and going 2-2 in 2009. The 2006 and 2007 losses were at the French to Rafael Nadal while, ironically, Federer won the French in 2009 but lost the Australian and U.S. Opens. Rod Laver, who won all four slams in 1969, is the only other player to accomplish the feat in the Open Era, which began in 1968. (The rest of the post refers to the Open era only.) 2. Federer has won 90 more Grand Slam matches (285) than the next active player, Rafael Nadal (195). He’s also has 52 more wins than the No. 2 player on the all-time list, Jimmy Connors. (Getty Images) 3. Federer has won 25% of the tournaments he’s entered during his career. That’s 86 titles in 334 tourneys, which is amazing given that his rate has obviously dropped since his prime ended five years ago.

To put that still-impressive 25% in perspective, from 2004-2006 Federer won 69.4% of tourneys played (the record for a three-season stretch). 4. He’s the all-time title leader at two different Slams (Wimbledon, tied with Pete Sampras, and the U.S. Open, tied with Jimmy Connors and Sampras). (Getty Images) 5. Just three times in history has a man won 40 or more consecutive matches at a single Grand Slam tournament. Federer has done it two of those times and at different tournaments, no less. Bjorn Borg once won 41 straight at Wimbledon, making him the all-time leader. Federer has streaks of 40 at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, with his streaks getting broken by Nadal (’08) at Wimbledon and Juan Martin Del Potro (’09) at the U.S. Open. Speaking of Nadal, it seems bizarre that his French Open dominance didn’t crack this list, no? Well, he’s right behind with 39, which was halted earlier this month by Djokovic.

(Why isn’t Federer’s number at 41 straight, which would mean five straight titles (35 matches) and six matches in a tournament before losing in a final? He had a walkover during each streak, which doesn’t count for official stats.) 6. Fed is No. 1 in most consecutive Grand Slam finals played with 10. He’s also in second, with eight. (Getty Images) 7. For as dominant as Rafael Nadal was at the French Open, this stat stuns: Rafa’s longest streak of Roland Garros finals (five) can’t touch The Fed’s seven consecutive Wimbledon finals. Rightly, it’s all about Rafa, Rafa, Rafa, when it comes to Grand Slam dominance. That’s the result of being 71-2 at the French Open. But because of that hiccup to Robin Soderling in 2009 and the unfair quarterfinal loss to Djokovic in 2015 , Nadal’s streaks can’t match Federer’s on grass. Weirdly, Federer also has made four straight French Open finals, which ties him with Nadal for second most in that event (behind Nadal, of course).

But neither of them are the all-time leader. Ivan Lendl made eight consecutive U.S. Open finals. The Czech turned American was only 3-5 in those finals, however. 8. Federer’s ranks in terms of all-time match wins at the four majors (in order of major, e.g. Aussie, French, Wimbledon, U.S.): 1, 2, 2, 4 (and he’ll be No. 3 in Flushing with two wins there in August). (USA TODAY Sports Images) 9. The Fed holds the record for most consecutive semifinals at a Grand Slam (23) and most consecutive quarterfinals at a Grand Slam (36). The semifinal record has the makings of an unbreakable one. Novak Djokovic is second with 15 and has a current streak of five. The quarterfinals would seem unbreakable except that Djokovic is only 12 Slams (or three years) behind. But, they don’t call them upsets for nothing and Djokovic will be in his 30s at that point. 10.

Lest you think Nadal knocked him completely off his grass game in the ’08 Wimbledon finals, Federer is 56-7 on the green since. (AP) 11. Federer once had a streak of 105 points without an unforced error. Granted, it came against big-serving and no-returning John Isner, but still. One hundred and five. Sick. 12. The most tournaments he won in a single year: 12 in 2006 (tied for most ever with Thomas Muster, of all people). The least amount of wins in a season: 1 in 2013. (Getty Images) 13. The Fed is the only tennis player in history to be perfect on blue clay. This is stupid, but if stupidity was a prerequisite to — I don’t know how I was going to end that sentence. Anyway, the 2012 Madrid Open was played with blue clay as part of a promotional push by Ion Ţiriac, the Count Dracula of tennis. The players hated it, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic seemed to tank matches just so they could complain about it later .

Federer, on the other hand, would play on the white sand of St. Barth’s and not mind. Anyway, Federer won Madrid that year, smurf courts and all, and now that the courts have been banned, truly has an unbreakable record. 14. With his win in Brisbane this January, Federer broke a tie with Ivan Lendl to win a tourney in his 15th straight year (2001-2015). (Getty Images) 15. Oddly, Federer doesn’t appear in the all-time top 10 for finals winning percentage. It’s a bit of an odd stat with Thomas Muster leading, Nikolay Davydanko tied for second and Juan Martin Del Potro, Thomas Enqvist and Jose Louis Clerc also residing in the top 10. Federer is just sixth among active players, with the rest of the Big Four occupying spaces three, four and five. Del Potro leads the active group and in second place is — wait for it– Gilles Simon. Overall, Federer is 86-44 in finals. The players ranked Nos.

1, 2, 4, 8 and 9 on the list have Federer’ exact number of titles — 86 — combined. (That stat’s even more interesting when you consider that Novak Djokovic is No. 4. The others are Del Potro (1), Gilles Simon (2), Kei Nishikori (8) and Marin Cilic (9). On a separate note; miss you, Juan Martin.) 16. He’s never retired from a match. 17. He’s No. 1 and No. 2 on the list of consecutive hard court wins with 56 straight in 2005-06 and 36 straight in 2006-2007. He’s also No. 1 on grass, with his 65 straight wins being 50% higher the No. 2 Bjorn Borg (42) (Getty Images) 18. Federer is the only player to not drop serve at a Masters 1000 event. The Fed’s break-less tournament came in 2012 in Cincinnati, where Federer was pushed to three tiebreaks though. Lame. 19.

In 2005 and 2006, Federer was a combined 53-2 in Grand Slams. (Reuters) 20. Nadal is the only member of the Big Four with a winning record against Federer. Federer has Djokovic and Murray by a match each and currently sports a 32-30 against them in total. Though that winning percentage is sure to tumble a bit, with both those players just turning 28, it’s an impressive feat that the soon-to-be 34-year-old has held them off for so long. Nadal, on the other hand, has a 23-10 record against Federer. But take clay out of the equation and that drops to a more pedestrian 13-8. 21. Federer’s ranking records: most weeks at No. 1 (302), most consecutive weeks at No.1 (237), most weeks in the top two (455) and most consecutive weeks in the top two (346). (Getty Images) 22. Federer has the most titles at one non-clay tournament. Nadal is No.

1 overall in this category with nine wins at Roland Garros. But with Federer’s win in Halle on Sunday, he earned his eighth title there, tying him with Guillermo Vilas (Bueno Ares) and Nadal (Monte Carlo and Barcelona) for second all time. But those were all on clay, giving Federer the non-dirt honors. Federer does have the record for most finals appearances at one tournament, with 11 in his hometown of Basel. Oddly, he’s only 6-5 in the Basel finals. 23. Federer has won seven different tournaments at least five times. Federer’s latest title. (EPA) 24. Federer has won three Grand Slams in a single year three times, the rest of the ATP has done it three times, in total. But Federer has never won three back-to-back Slams in a single year, due mainly to Nadal’s French Open dominance. He has, however, won three straight spanning two calendar years (Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Australian Open) on two occasions. 25.

From October 2003 through September 2005, Federer won 24 straight finals, crushing Bjorn Borg’s previous record of 15. (AP) 26. The Swiss is in the top-two at each Grand Slam for most consecutive semifinals. He has 11 in Melbourne (No. 1), five in Roland Garros (No. 1, tied with Nadal, Djokovic), seven at Wimbledon 7 (No. 1) and eight at the U.S. Open (No. 2, tied with Novak Djokovic and Ivan Lendl). 27. With his win in Brisbane this January, Federer broke a tie with Ivan Lendl to win a tourney in his 15th straight year (2001-2015). (Getty Images) 28. Federer has two double bagels in his career. He has six bagels and breadsticks (6-0, 6-1) but oddly not a single breadstick and bagel (6-1, 6-0). Overall, he’s 87-0 when putting up a 6-0 set.

And the only he himself has been bageled this millennium was when Nadal did it in the final set of the 2008 French Open. 29. The Fed is No. 3 in most wins ever. (Getty Images) He’s currently 224 wins behind Connors, who played until he was 44. He’s just 41 wins behind Ivan Lendl, who played until his was 34, the age Federer will likely be when he passes him. But Federer’s accomplishment is probably already more impressive than both. 30. Federer has 105 more victories against top 10 players than Connors. This suggests that the wild-west atmosphere of tennis in the 1970s led to more victories over lesser players. Connors also isn’t in the top 10 for winning percentage against players in the top 10. He’s hovering around 50% while Federer is a staggering 65%. 30. Overall, Federer has averaged 5.7 tournament wins per year (and we’re not yet halfway through 2015 and he already has four titles this year). (EPA) 31.

The Fed is the only man to win back-to-back Slams five times. He did it at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open from 2004-07 and at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2009. 32. Federer put up a 166-8 mark on hard courts from 2003-06. (AP) Nadal, for all his clay-court dominance had a best streak of 118-3 ,which is still amazing, but gets 10 times the hype of Federer’s hard-court mark, which is arguably more impressive given that there are far more “hard-court specialists” than clay. In 2005 and 2006, Federer was a combined 109-3 on hard courts too, close to Nadal’s clay mark. 33. The Fed is the career leader in tiebreak win percentage (65.02%, a little better than John Isner). He’s also played the most (586) and won the most (381). (Getty Images) 35.

Overall, Roger Federer has won 81% of his matches on the ATP, with a 1067-243 record. He’s the greatest player of all time. (Getty Images)

Question: Which was the only one of the four 'Grand Slam' Tennis titles that Bjorn Borg did not win?
Answer: U.S. OPEN